


we destroy everything and rebuild after

by psychomachia



Category: Fate/Apocrypha, Fate/Grand Order, Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 20:43:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9020188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychomachia/pseuds/psychomachia
Summary: Conversations from the Grail War that didn't happen, or Archer manages to foil multiple plans, including his own.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [magicasen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicasen/gifts).



> Companion AU to "And words wait bluecold." Think of it as another road travelled.

### Lancer

“Well, that was... thorough.”

Kiritsugu looks up as Archer enters the room. There's remnants of destruction all around the castle and a body on the floor. Neither man seems to really care that much about it. 

“Kayneth was strong, but overconfident. He relied too much on his magic,” Kiritsugu says. “I suppose you had no issues with Lancer.”

“Once he realized his master was in danger, his distraction proved to be his undoing,” Archer replies. “He was trying to make his way back to him. Not that I allowed it.”

Kiritsugu nods. Chivalry is a foolish concept and he's pleased to see that his servant has no desire to follow it. “We'll have to find a new location, however. This one is no longer suitable.”

Archer steps over the debris. “I believe even this is beyond my power to clean up.” He smirks. “But I will make dinner.”

His father looks nonplussed. “I was unaware that was a skill you possessed.” 

As the two men walked out, leaving one less master in their wake, Archer says, “Well, someone had to learn.”

### Assassin

“You don't seem too pleased that Kotomine's been eliminated from the war,” Archer says, idly leaning on a chair.

“If I actually thought he was done, I would be,” Kiritsugu replies. He's frowning. “But I can't count him out for good.”

“Well, at least for the moment, he doesn't have a servant. And I hardly think Tohsaka will let him have his.”

“True, it does appear Rider destroyed Assassin for good.” Kiritsugu looks down at his papers. “Which only proves Rider as a formidable foe.”

Archer shrugs. “I wouldn't be concerned. His master's hardly a contender, you said.”

“Just because he's not a strong magician doesn't mean his strategy's flawed,” Kiritsugu replies. “But you're right, he's not my biggest concern.”

“I imagine it's not Caster either, despite what the Church says,” Archer says. 

“Caster's a madman, but his master is an inexperienced idiot. No, Tohsaka and Kotomine are our greatest threats.”

“And Matou?” Archer's voice is deceptively light.

“He'll burn himself out before the war is over.”

Emiya does not think of someone else whose body is giving way the longer the war goes on. There's no point in mourning someone you could never save.

### Saber

Kiritsugu takes the shot and Uryuu falls. A senseless end to a senseless man.

Below him, Archer watches as Saber manifests in a blaze of light and flames. The sword swings.

“O lord, I entrust this body to you--,” she calls out.

Caster falls minutes later, and Archer thinks he sees him smiling as he does so.

Of course. He's been reunited with his beloved.

Emiya allows himself to think of another Saber, briefly, before dismissing her from his mind. She's not here now and it's her absence (and his presence) that's brought about--

He cuts the thought off and materializes in front of Kiritsugu. “Master, I think you should go home now.”

Kiritsugu eyes him. “I hardly think it's the time. It's a perfect opportunity to--”

His voice more gentle, Emiya says,”I think you should go and be with your wife.”

His father stiffens, but begins to put his weapon away.

There's very little time left, after all.

### Berserker

Kiritsugu's sitting with his head bowed when Archer sees him again. He doesn't ask about Irisviel. It's obvious.

“I've taken care of Berserker,” he reports instead, quietly so as to not startle his father. 

Kiritsugu looks up. His eyes are red-rimmed, but solid. “And his master?”

“Matou's not a threat anymore,” he says. “In fact, it turns out he was willing to exit the war on his own as long as he got something in return.”

“And what was that?” Kiritsugu's natural suspicion's kicked in and right now, Archer would prefer it to grief or guilt. But he knows the next thing he says will inevitably hurt him.

He smiles softly. “Something he wanted very badly to save.” 

Kiritsugu's face freezes and he does not ask any other questions.

So Archer does not tell his father how he asked Kariya Matou that evening, what if I could help you save her? What would you do?

And Matou said,“Anything,” as Archer knew he would. 

People who tried to save people were such fools. 

### Rider

They're both in Fuyuki Church, when Kiritsugu says, “I'm sorry.”

Archer looks over at him. He doesn't know what's odder, Kotomine fussing over an unconscious Waver Velvet in one of the pews or his father sounding so defeated and resigned. “For what?” 

Kiritsugu is silent. There's a glowing red light in the distance. Something's on fire. Probably more than one something.

Still, none of it really matters anymore so Emiya doesn't say “because there's quite a bit to apologize for.” It's not like his father doesn't know that.

Instead, he says, “It's not as though we knew exactly what would happen.” Though with Zouken Matou, he supposes he should have seen the “using another servant's flesh as a catalyst” thing coming. “His treachery, though unsurprising, was hardly predicted in this manner.”

Kiritsugu shakes his head. “I never should have entered the war.” 

That's rich, Emiya thinks, with a surprising amount of pain hitting his chest, because what Kiritsugu really means, is I shouldn't have tried to save you. I should have let you die. He's probably correct on that one.

But all Archer says is, “You did what you thought was right.”

And there must be something in his voice because Kiritsugu takes his hand and says, “But I'm not sorry for trying to save you. I'm just sorry I'm not good at it.”

Well, like father, like son, Shirou thinks at the back of his mind and grips it back. 

### Avenger

The worst thing about all of this, Emiya decides, is not the flames or the pain or even Avenger yelling, “This is the roar of my soul that was polished by hatred,” which means that things are about to get infinitely worse, but the laughing.

Specifically, Zouken Matou's laughing. It's crazed and loud and why is it he didn't try to kill Zouken at the beginning of all of this? 

Oh, right, because he was trying to kill the other elderly madman involved in the war. It's amazing how insane the Grail War bloodlines are. How is it that Tokiomi, a man who sold his own daughter to Zouken, is probably the sanest head of all of them? 

All around him, the city is burning.

He hopes wherever Kiritsugu is perched, he's out of the reach of the fire, because right now, it's intensifying and--

Shirou is screaming at him to move, to dodge, but it's too much now, and he's a child again in the wreckage of a ruined city and this time, Kiritsugu can't even save him, since Avalon's as useless as he's been in this war.

It should've been Saber all along, he thinks dimly. 

And there's a rush of cooling white light.

Zouken stops laughing. 

That's the true miracle.

### Caster

“Release! Heaven's Feel! Sing Out, O White Grail!”

The voice isn't loud, but it carries across the battlefield and Emiya can feel it sink into his bones. It's gentle, soothing... familiar.

He knows who this is now, and he finds himself easily able to walk to her. 

Irisviel, clad in a glowing white dress, is cradling a struggling Kiritsugu's head and smiling at both of them. “It's all right,” she says. “I'll make it right for everyone.”

He hasn't believed that lie from anyone, not even himself, but in that moment, he believes her with all his heart. 

So this is what having a mother feels like. 

Emiya wants to ask her why this happened, where she came from, how of any of this is remotely possible, but she bends down to whisper in his father's ear, “Take care of Illya. We both love you,” and he thinks he can begin to see how a summoning that should be impossible might occur.

And now he knows that however much time he has left, whatever power his father still possesses, they have one final wish that must be fulfilled.

But it won't be through the Grail, he knows as he watches Zouken crumple to the ground, while Irisviel stands up, laying her unconscious husband on the ground. There's energy gathering around her, a white light that cuts through the choking, acrid smoke. 

He wonders how long it will be now. 

Should be enough to say goodbye, at least.

He sits down next to his father and waits for him to wake up. 

### Archer

_Somewhere out there, a young boy named Shirou lies in pile of blackened debris. He will be saved by a hero, a man in black who cries upon seeing him and clutches his hands. He's so happy, so grateful that Shirou will remember that smile for the rest of his life. He will also remember a scowling, white-haired man in red, who looks at him and just for a second, smiles, too, though he tries to hide it._

_Later, they will go to a church where the priest will heal him. He will want to thank him years later, but the priest will have left Fuyuki,never to be seen again. But there will be other people he sees, like a brash young woman named Taiga, who insists on invading their house and a quiet woman named Maiya, who has hushed conversations with his new father about someone living far away in another country._

_Someday after that, the man who calls himself Kiritsugu, will bring home a girl named Illya with white hair, who bullies and teases him and loves him and her parents with all her heart. And he will meet one girl named Sakura, who takes care of her sickly uncle Kariya, and another named Rin, whose parents dote on her constantly. And he will love all of them because Shirou never stops loving people and wanting to take care of them._

_And someday he will ask his father about the man in red, who helped save him, and Kiritsugu, who is teaching him magic, will say, “He was a hero,” and Shirou will ask, “Like you?”_

_Kiritsugu will pause, and there will be a mixture of sadness and pride in his eyes, before he answers, “Better than me.”_

_Shirou will resolve, in that instant, to be as good as this man._


End file.
